SureAI

I've got an Elementalist that I've levelled up to level 5, but have many learning points unspent. I don't seem to be earning enough money to buy the necessary (and very expensive) skill books. Is there anywhere to get free/discounted skill books, or some way to earn money that I'm missing?

No shortcuts that I know of, just selling what you find exploring and doing quests, such as the "wanted" bounty hunter quests, for rewards. One thing you can do is buy Rhetoric skill books to use your crafting points, as the higher your Rhetoric, the more you will be paid for what you sell, and what you buy will become cheaper. Also carry a pickaxe with you and mine silver and gold, as you can turn them into jewelry to sell.

You can often find skill books as loot in bandit camps or dungeons. But don't worry too much about unspent skillpoints, your skill levels have only little impact on mana use or damage. On higher levels money shouldn't be a problem anymore either, so you can spend the skillpoints later.